EYEWITNESS: Foot in mouth disease…

…and Ramjattan

Some people just don’t know when to shut up. Or maybe they’re so desperate to ingratiate themselves with the powerful, they just can’t realise they’re making matters worse. Take the case of Volda Lawrence, newly elected chair of the PNC, who surely wishes her ill-advised burst of candour as to PNC’s hiring policy (only PNC cardholders need apply!) would disappear.

With the PNC presidential candidate for 2020 seemingly up in the air, Volda was clearly trying to ground with the hardcore, lumpen elements in the Region Four district, by speaking in their vernacular and register to emphasise she was with in their corner. Now this constituency is key to solidifying the PNC voters who’d be showing up at the next Congress to select the said presidential candidate.

But before you could say, “Kabaka!”, up jumped Raphael Trotman, leader of the AFC to vouch for the good lady!! Calling the furore over Volda’s assertion, Trotman dubbed it an “unnecessary distraction” and declaimed: “The chair, I as leader have known and worked closely with for 25 years and has never shown racial or political partisanship, but in fact, has worked tirelessly, as a politician and as a Minister of Government for the betterment of people of all walks of life and all backgrounds.”

However, Volda, apologised to those whose sentiments she might’ve hurt but not for the import of her words. She’d rather keep the bird in the hand (the PNC lumpen crowd) than the birds in the bush (non-PNC types). The endorsement of Trotman is like the kiss of death to the PNC-diehards, who’ve never forgiven him for demanding the PNC apologise for its past thuggery. They were the ones who performed the said thuggish actions! Volda probably wanted to strangle Trotman.

Now up comes Khemraj Ramjattan of “dead meat” fame and Chairman of the AFC, to resurrect Volda’s declamation and “excuse” it – in Parliament, of all places!! Ramjattan exclaimed “So what if Volda said only PNC-types should apply for Government jobs?? By fighting to keep the sugar industry going, wasn’t the PPP saying the same thing for East Indians?”

So, while Trotman’s endorsement could’ve chased away the PNC’s bird in the hand, Ramjattan’s “explanation” will definitely push the “two (wavering) birds in the bush” into the PPP camp!! So, what’s the bottom line out of the desperate attempts of the AFC leaders to survive their “four per cent” implosion? Pissed off Volda Lawrence, who’s the front runner in the sweepstakes to lead the PNC into the 2020 “mother of all elections”!!

But Ramjattan should be ashamed of himself for brown-nosing Volda so blatantly and oleaginously!!
Especially when he’s neither PNC nor her friend!!

…and David Patterson

As your Eyewitness mentioned several times, the Princeton philosopher Harry Frankfurt made a crucial distinction between lying and bullshit. You lie when you know the facts, but you misstate them to score “points”. Bullshitting, however, is when you don’t give a damn about what you are saying – you just speak for effect! As Frankfurt showed, bullshitting is worse than lying especially with people in authority – because of the possible disastrous consequences.

When David Patterson opted to pull out assertions from his nether region about the PPP and feasibility studies, without making any attempt to check the facts, he was bullshitting big time. And as the Public Infrastructure Minister, this could destroy Guyana – even with the coming oil revenues. But what was more revealing, when nailed immediately on one of his assertions by PPP MP Irfaan Ali, Patterson swore on his Bible and promised to apologise if Ali were to provide written evidence.

Well, Ali did so provide but Patterson refused to apologise.

Proving that bullshitters have no character!

…and Winston Jordan

Because of the coming oil funds, Jordan boasted Guyana will attract businesses. Scotiabank immediately announced it’ll pull out of Guyana. Two weeks later, Bank of Baroda did the same!